Phytosanitary measures
Movement of insects and diseases has been facilitated by increased long-range air travel and reduced travel time, international trade of agricultural and forest products, and the international exchange of plant material. Insect invasive species can be extremely destructive and have had damaging effects in recent years in both the developed and the developing world.
This issue together with invasiveness of tree species, GMO's and introduction of new genotypes is being addressed under the umbrella of
Biosecurity in Forestry.Forest protection is an integral part of sustainable forest management. Good management including the use of appropriate species and provenances to meet prevailing environmental conditions and end use requirements, and planting materials of optimal physiological and genetic quality, coupled with good silviculture, is thus the key to a healthy forest. The best line of defence in forest protection is prevention through international and national phytosanitary legislation. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is a multilateral treaty for cooperation in plant protection, approved and deposited in 1951 with FAO in Rome. The IPPC came into forcein 1952 and was amended in 1979 ("the Revised Text") and 1997 ("the New Revised Text"). As of 29 March 2006, 145 countries have adhered to the Convention. The purpose of the IPPC is to secure common and effective action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products and to promote appropriate measures for their control.
The European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) participates in global discussions on plant health organized by FAO and the IPPC Secretariat and has produced a large number of standards and publications on plant pests, phytosanitary regulations, and plant protection products.
Despite phytosanitary measures and information exchange, pests still continue to move between and within countries and given suitable climatic conditions and the absence of indigenous natural enemies, are quick to establish. Health monitoring is thus important to ensure that pest activity is discovered before extensive damage occurs, and to provide data to support decisions on appropriate tactics of control once a problem has been detected.